Electrical connectors have been widely used, for example, for connecting electronic components onto circuit boards. FIG. 7 shows a conventional electrical connector which comprises a sheet body 10′ and an elastic arm 11′ which is raised upwards from one end of the body 10′, one end of the elastic arm 11′ is connected with the body 10′ and the other end thereof has an substantially arc shape. When used, the body 10′ is soldered onto a printed circuit board (PCB), the electronic component contacts the elastic arm 11′ and presses the elastic arm 11′ downwards, thus the electronic component is connected with the circuit board. Meanwhile, the contact between the elastic arm 11′ and the electronic component is merely realized by the upward elastic force of the elastic arm 11′.
The conventional connector has following defects:
Firstly, the conventional connector has only one connecting path which is formed by the elastic arm 11′, and this is the only one connecting path for high-frequency current flowering between the electronic component and the circuit board. Therefore, high-frequency characteristics of the connector are poor.
Secondly, since the reliability of the contact between the elastic arm 11′ and the electronic component is ensured only by the elastic force of the elastic arm 11′, thereby the deformation of the elastic arm 11′ and the internal stress thereof are big, moreover the elastic force is in a limited range, so that the reliability of the contact is decreased, and the duration of the elastic arm 11′ is relatively short.
Thirdly, if the elastic arm 11′ is pressed downwards by the electronic component excessively, the elastic arm 11′ may probably contact the circuit board, resulting in some faults such as short circuit. In addition, If the elastic arm 11′ is pressed down excessively, it may deform permanently and can not restore even when the electronic component is removed. Therefore, the deformed elastic arm 11′ can not generate the upward elastic force when being pressed by the electronic component, thus affecting the reliability of contact between the elastic arm 11′ and the electronic component.
Fourthly, the elastic arm 11′, when depressed downwards, may move in a lateral direction shown in FIG. 7. Therefore, a twisting force may be generated in the elastic arm 11′, thus destroying connection between the body 10′ and the circuit board.